Me and my acne: Week 30 update.

There is a reason why I have left doing another one of these posts for this long. Apart from forgetfulness on my behalf, I left it two weeks before I updated the blog because my skin seems to be improving, and I wanted to make sure it had improved enough before I danced/shouted/screamed about it and then jinxed it!

Here is what my skin looks like at the moment;


As you can see, I still have about ten active spots at the moment, but most of the redness you can see on my skin (mostly on my forehead) is just the after-effect of having acne, which I'm hoping should fade in time.
When I went to the doctors just under 2 weeks ago to sort out my skin, he prescribed me Dianette, which is a contraceptive pill aimed at women who were struggling with their skin. Although I have to wait 2 more weeks to actually start taking this medication, and my Lymecycline ran out two weeks ago, so at the moment I'm acne-medication free, apart from my Retin-A which I apply weekly.
This is what makes it so surprising that my skin has cleared up. Why would it be worse when I'm on medication to clear it up?

I am using a few new products in my skin-care routine, which I will indicate whilst going through my normal day to night skincare regime, but I don't think that that really has anything to do with clearing up my skin, although who knows?!.
Morning I use Hibiscrub and double cleanse my face, and after I tone with Vichy's 'Purifying Astringent Toner' (new), and then apply Vichy's 'Capital Sun SPF 50 Mattifying Face Fluid Dry Touch' (new), and that's it for the day.
My night-time skincare routine comprises of a little more. I take off the majority of my make-up/face cream with a blob of Cetaphil and a cotton pad, after which I use the Hibiscrub to double/triple-cleanse my skin and make sure it's squeaky clean. Then I have two options. Twice a week I just use Retin-A on clean skin. The other nights, I follow my cleanse with the same Vichy toner, and then apply Nuxe's 'Huile Prodigieuse' (new) all over my face until it has sank in, and then a layer of Lush's Vanishing Cream (new), and then after that I layer Eucerin's 'Aquaphor' all over my face until I'm a gooey sticky mess! And then I'm done! I find this is the only way to combat the drying effect a retinoid has on your skin.
I'm also using No7's 'Total Renewal Microdermabrasion Exfoliator' and Lush's 'Cosmetic Warrior' (new) face mask. I normally do this after my skin is moisturised enough and before I apply the retinoid for the week.

A break from oral acne antibiotics is maybe what my skin needs, but right now I'm really pleased with the way my skin is behaving, and I just hope it clears up more and more each and every day (one can wish!). I'm also looking forward to seeing what effect starting the new medication Dianette has on my skin, and let's just keep our fingers crossed it gets rid of my acne for good!

Feel Unique January 2012

I want to sob. And this is because this is the last ever beauty box that Feel Unique are doing. For reasons unknown, they've decided to discontinue the monthly beauty box. However, they did promise they would be doing something better in the future so this is a little bit of a sad/happy situation.

I super-love this months box! Super-duper-mega love it, making the fact the boxes are no more a bit more of a bitter pill to swallow.
I have tried and love the Nuxe Multi-Usage Dry Oil. I used it under my Darphin cream on my face last night and my skin this morning looked and felt amazingly hydrated and soft.
I love the Leighton Denny nail polish. I got was 'Viva La Diva', and it is the brightest, most colourful nail polish I have ever owned. It sucks I'll be in a hospital for the next three months, cause I won't be able to paint my nails with it! I love it, and I may even go as far as saying I might purchase the full size one because I love the colour so much.
I haven't used the Philip Kingsley 'Elasticizer' before, but I've heard so much about it! I think you must have been sleeping for the past few months not to have heard about it. So I'm dead excited about using it, and I think my hair needs all the restoration it can get!
I can't wait to lather myself up with the Elemis 'Lime and Ginger Hand and Body Wash'. It definitely smells amazing. From the bottle it does smell quite strong, but I like very aromatic/smelly things, so this just rocks my socks.
The Decleor 'Phytopeel Face Peel Cream' excites me very much, and I can't wait to put it on my face! Exfoliating products always tick my box, so I'm very pleased to have received this.

I will try and review this collection as separate products, but I still have some products from the January box still to review, so I'm not being very proactive, but I will aim to change and get some reviews bashed out as soon as I can!

RIP Feel Unique beauty box, there is a box-shaped hole in my heart where you used to be.
I think I'll just cry myself to sleep now.